The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1887-12-23
uNsuRvEYED GOVERNMENT LAND

is either an hireling of the beef barons
of this country or he is engaged or in
tending to engage extensively in the
cattle business himself as the following
from a recent issue of the News shows
conclusively:
sFrom time to time efforts have been
made by the citizens of Buffalo Gap, to
procure the survey Of the u%nsurveyed
government land in Custer and Fall
River counties. These lands comprise
about $4,000 acres in Custer county
and 100000 acres in Fall River county,
or over 100000 acres in two counties:
all fine agricultural and grazing land
outside the hills. These efforts have
been fruitlcss, the desire for the survey
seems to have sprung from a deep
sealed longing for a boom that in 1888
swept over eastern Dakota. bringing
thousands of young men and foreign
ers into this country who proved up ON
claims, mortgagcd and sold them and
then disappeared. so that not one tenth
of the land there is now owned by the
original entrymen. We are fortunate
in never having had such Il boom. I'm
surveyed land has greater attractions
for a desirable settler than surveyed
land, his title to the former is just as
safe and he escapes the burdens of tax
alton, this was proven a year ago by
the opposition Of the farmers on Cfey-
enne River to the efforts to procure
the survey, and is also proven by the
fact that the farmers in township 5.
range z who ARE now forced to file are
not fastening to make proof. but are
taking advantage of all the time the
law allows them. The land may not
be surveyed and plated for years. but
home seekers will continue to secure
homes in this valuable tract. and con-
tinue to develop farms. while single
men, single women, money %loaners and
locating agents will continue to bewail
the delay in making the survey. And
when at last the survey is made the
land will be we'll settled and cultivated
and the settlers will have no use for
money lenders"
These arguments are intenable,
illogical and palpably unreasonable.
Yes it is true that the people of these
counties have a ''deep-sealed longing
for a boom such as swept over eastern
Dakota in 1883, bringing thousands of
young men and foreigners into the
country also thrifty and well-to-do
grangers with families and settled M.
that portion of the territory. establish
ed permanent residences. made substan-
tial ir provements and adorned and
beautifed their homes with handsome
homes and substantial farm buildings.
1t is this class Of settlers we want, and
in order to get them it is necessary to
have the land surveyed and open to
homestead, presumption and tree claim
entry. The average settler is not
satisfied with mere possession by
squatter's right but wants to W the
land lie cultivates and upon which he
has established a permanent home and
invested all lie has in substantial i'm.
provements. He is willing to bear the
burden Of taxation in oyder to enjoy
the benefits of superior school adj.
vantages, excellent county roads and
comforts of a civilized and enlighten.
ed community.
The News says mot one tenth Of tho
IdIlA LIlClC Ia loN oNNSN w tuS
original entrymen." What matter.
it whether it is still owned by Tho
original entryman. so long as it i
owned. occupied and improved by al
industrious and frugal class of granger
as is generally the case in eastern
Dakota? The migratory class q
settlers who lead the van Of civilization
In the nnsettled portions of the Yves
are followed by woll-to-do farmer
from the east who purchase their claim
and locate permanently. So it ha
been in Minnesota, Iowa. Nebraska an,
eastern Dakota. and so it will be il
Fall River and Custer counties. 1
that portion Of the public. domain lla'
remained unsurveyed until the prcsen
time it would still be known as TIL
Great American Desert. and consldere
totally unfit for the habitation of ma
or beast.
The farmers residing in township
range z "who are now forced to file ar
not ~nastening to make proof" simpl,
for the reason that they could not j
they wanted to, as a sufficient length q
time has not elapsed since the filing
were made to enable them to do 81
Applications for entry Of this town
ship Of land were not received at til
Deadw0od land Office until October 1!
1887, hence proof upon.this land car
not he made until the 10th Of Marc
next.